Dave got another good report on our check up in Little Rock. But for his particular cancer and his presentation, we don't expect any problems. Our true test will come a couple of years down the road on the worrying and fretting part. I don't like to think about it and those of you who have chatted or followed me, know I'm a very optimistic person and don't like to invite trouble where there is none. But I'm also a realist and I'm sure we will have our "moments" down the road.
Anyway, all is good and we are back home in California.
We learned some new things about our treatment and why as well as Dave's particular myleoma presentation. First off, we are on the Revlimid everyday simply because Dave can tolerate it so well. The doc told us that some folks simply can't handle it, low platelets and hemocrit, but Dave is having no issues with that so they want to keep him on it full tilt and will make adjustments later on if that changes. We also learned that Dave's presentation of myeloma doesn't show up in his blood, but in his bones. Of course, eventually it shows up in his blood, but that's not how he initially presents. This is why we need to come for regular visits, because they need to do the MRI's and such to see if its becoming active. If it showed up in his blood or urine routinely, then we could just send that each month and be done with it. We also learned that Dave's myeloma presentation is a very slow onset. This means that should it become active again it will be found very early and we'll have lots of time to react and be proactive about any treatment options. All very insightful.
Its fun to go back Little Rock at this stage of our journey. We always run into some other patient we know and its nice to have a reunion with them and see how they are doing and the changes in their well being. We also enjoy running into different staff members that have had a part in our outcome. In fact we ran into an older gentleman that lives in the Little Rock area. When I met him he had already had his treatment years ago and had relapsed. He didn't look good through the course of his treatment and at one point I wasn't so sure he was going to make it. He received a THIRD Stem Cell Transplant and when I last saw him he was on a walker and looking pretty frail. Well we were walking down a hallway and I recognized his wife first, because he was bopping down the hallway without any assistance and broke into a HUGE smile when he saw us! That was so incredibly inspirational, its hard to put into words. He is "doing GREAT" and they were there for their tests and meeting with their doctor. Its those folks that we all see in our respective cancer journey's that truly uplift us.
What a club we all belong to now isn't it? We lose many along the way and it makes us sad, but we also share in the triumph of those who manage to come out the other side and cancer becomes an "event" in their life and not something that defines them.
Which leads me into my last bit of news. As I mentioned, I was asked to participate in a video they are producing for Caregiver's who are new to Little Rock. When I arrived I mentioned that I was a "talker" and I apologized ahead of time. They laughed and said not too worry, to talk all I wanted as they were able to edit. When I finished up, they both looked at each other and said, "I don't know how we will edit ANY of that!" haha I don't know when it will get published, they are doing it all in house, but I look forward to seeing the final product. I was truly honored to have been asked.
I've been letting our friends and family know that I will be shutting down our Caring Bridge website in a bit. Its time for us to move on from the daily journaling and get about the business of living our lives. But I will continue to come in and check on you folks here from time to time.
Best,
Lori
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain!"
